Butterball Help Line Now Lets Customers Text Questions

Three years after Butterball revolutionized its Turkey Talk help line by adding male operators for the first time, the company is once again revamping how it helps those cooking a turkey for the big holiday: not talking to them at all. Rather, they’ll be texting.

Business Insider reports that for the first time in its 35-year history Butterball will allow answer-seeking cooks to spell out their questions via text messages.

With more than 100,000 questions coming in to the Turkey Talk line each year, the company decided it was best to open other modes of communication.

“We’re just evolving based on consumers’ needs,” Sue Smith, Butterball’s talk line co-director, tells Business Insider. “It’s the natural progression for the talk line.”

Cooks with questions ranging from how big of a bird they need, to how to thaw their turkey can text the Talk line at 1-800-Butterball 24/7 starting Nov. 17 and ending Nov. 24.

It’s unclear how the 50 operators will split their time between calls and text messages, or how long of a turnaround cooks can expect when receiving answers.

Text messages are just the latest advancement for Butterball. In addition to adding male operators to the Talk line in 2013, the company also now answers questions on Facebook and Twitter. It also posts how-to videos on YouTube.